A Nigerian student in the United States, Preston Nnadi, has emerged winner of the Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. national championship held in Orlando, Florida.
Nnadi, who just completed his second year at Steele Early College High School, topped 195 finalists at the live event and was named the Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps) U.S. national champion.
As the first-place winner, Preston received a $3,000 cash prize, a gold medal of achievement and earned an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship in Anaheim, California, between Sunday, 28 and 31 July. According to the organisers, more than 98,500 students aged 13 to 22 across the United States entered the competition.
Commenting on his achievement, Nnadi said “Embarking on my sophomore year at Tarrant County College feels like opening a new chapter in my tech-driven journey.
“From a young age, my life has been intricately woven with a passion for computers and programming—a well-crafted code that defines my path.
“My innate desire to solve problems and make a tangible difference using code has been a constant driving force for me. The journey unfolds with my exploration of new horizons, a showcase of evolving projects residing on GitHub, and a comprehensive display of my certifications and skills on my Eportfolio.
Beyond the lines of code, I’ve emerged as an enthusiastic explorer of emerging technologies—a perpetual learner always eager to adapt. Along this educational odyssey, I’ve diligently completed various certifications offered by my school, refining not just my coding skills but also, enhancing my time management and problem-solving abilities”.